Manufacture of built-up heels



March 8, 1955 FQX MANUFACTURE OF BUILT-UP HEELS 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed June 18, 1955 March 8, 1955 G. J. Fox 2,703,461

MANUFACTURE OF BUILT-UP HEELS Filed June 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Q MANUFACTURE OF BUILT-UP HEELS George J. Fox, St. Louis, Mo.

Application June 18, 1953, Serial No. 362,544

Claims. (Cl. 36--34) This invention relates to built-up heels, and more particularly to built-up heels such as used on womens shoes which are higher at the back of the heel than at the breast of the heel.

Heretofore, conventional practice in the manufacture of built-up heels of the class described, which consist of laminated lifts of leatherboard or the like, in some instances with a base lift of grain leather and a top lift or two of grain leather, has been to use one or more so-called wedge lifts thicker at the back of the heel than at the breast of the heel in order to make the heel higher at the back than at the breast. The individual lifts are pre-cut approximately to the shape required for the finished heel, some lifts being flat and others of wedge shape, and the lifts are manually assembled and glued together to form one heel at a time. Each assembly of lifts, constituting one heel, is individually compressed in a heel compressor machine which has an upper die shaped to cup the base of the heel to fit the heel seat of the shoe to which the heel is ultimately applied. Due to the fact that this practice requires assembly and compression operations on individual heels, it is economically impractical for making a wide variety of different size heels for different size shoes. Also, as a practical matter, this practice imposes a limitation on the height of built-up heels which can be economically produced, since available heel compressor machines have a limited capacity as to the height of heel that may be compressed. While it is possible to make the heel in two individually built-up sections, this is economically impractical.

Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of a novel construction for built-up heels which are higher at the back than at the breast without the inclusion of pre-cut wedge lifts; the provision of a heel construction of this class which makes it possible, in effect, to assemble and compress a plurality of heels of any desired height at one time, and which eliminates any necessity for use of the limited-capacity standard heel compressor machine; and the provision of a heel construction of this class whereby a wide variety of different size heels with different slopes may be economically produced. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a laminated body of leatherboard or the like from which heels of this invention are made;

Fig. 2 is a perspective showing how the Fig. 1 body is segmented into individual heel blocks;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one of the heel blocks after further operations;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a finished heel;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification;

Fig. 7 is a perspective of a laminated body similar to that shown in Fig. l modified for the manufacture of heels with grooved breasts and hard heel seat lifts;

Fig. 8 is a perspective showing how the Fig. 7 body is segmented into individual heel blocks;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of one of the Fig. 8 heel blocks after further operations; and,

Patented Mar. 8, 195 5 Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a finished grooved-breast heel made from the Fig. 9 block.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawmgs.

In general, the manufacture of heels of this invention involves as its first step the stacking of a plurality of plies of leatherboard or other such suitable heel-forming material, each of which is of substantially uniform thickness throughout, with glue between the plies, and the compressing of the assembly to form a firm laminated body from which a plurality of individual heel blocks may be segmented. Fig. 1 of the drawings shows such a laminated body, designated by the reference character 1. The two outer plies of the body are each designated 3, and each intermediate ply is designated 5. As illustrated, each one of the plies 3 and 5 is in the form of a relatively long and narrow strip, and the body 1 hence has the form of a long narrow rectangular block. The width of the plies or strips 3 and 5, and hence of the body 1, corresponds to the width of the base or seat of the heels to be made, and the number of plies is selected so that the height of the body 1 corresponds to the required height for the leatherboard of the heels,v to be made. The length of the plies and hence the length of the body 1 is such that a plurality of individual generally wedge-shaped heel blocks, which will be more particularly described, may be segmented therefrom. In making up the body 1, hot glue is applied to the contacting faces of the plies, as by passing alternate plies through a pair of glue-applying rolls, and the stack is compressed under relatively high pressure in a simple press, such as a hydraulic press, to squeeze out excess glue, to effect bonding together of the plies, and, in the case of the use of leatherboard, to effect some degree of permanent compression of the plies to make them firmer.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the laminated body 1 is segmented into a plurality of individual generally wedgeshaped heel blocks each designated 7 by cutting across the body 1 on cutting planes indicated at 9 and 11 which are inclined to the planes of the plies of the body. This cutting is readily accomplished as for example by sawing, and Fig. 2 shows cutting planes 9 and 11 as saw cuts, the spaces between the blocks corresponding to the thickness of the saw. The cuts 9 and 11 are made at different angles, cuts 9 being at an angle with respect to the planes of the plies corresponding to the desired angle for the breast of the heel with respect to the base of the heel or the heel seat, and cuts 11 being at an angle such as to approximate the requisite slope of the backs of the finished heels. To eliminate undue waste, cuts 9 and 11 are alternated along the length of the body 1, so that each cut 9 (except that at the left end of the body as illustrated in Fig. 2) forms the. breasts of two adjacent heel blocks as taken from the body, and each cut 11 (except that at the right end of the body) forms the backs of two adjacent heel blocks. This wastes only two relatively small sections W at the ends of the body.

It will be seen that by reason of the alternation of cuts 9 and 11, portions of both of the outer plies 3 are included at the wide ends and the narrow ends of the wedge-shaped heel blocks 7. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the block 7 cut from the left end of the body 1 has a portion of top ply 3 at the narrow end of the block, and a portion of the bottom ply 3 at its wide end, the next block has a portion of bottom ply 3 at its narrow end and a portion of top ply 3 at its wide end, and so on in alternation.

The wide end of each block 7 is designated 13. This end is of generally rectangular shape and constitutes the upper base end or heel seat end of the block. The narrow end of each block 7 is designated 15. This end 15 is also of generally rectangular shape, smaller than the end 13, and constitutes the lower end of the block in relation to the final heel. Each block has a flat rectangular breast 17 defined by the respective cutting plane 9 at an angle of greater than with respect to its wide end 13, a flat rectangular back 19 which converges toward the breast from the heel seat end 13 of the block to its lower end 15, and parallel fiat sides 21 of trapezoidal shape. As cut from the body 1, the ends 13 and 15 of each block are parallel.

Each heel block 7 as taken from the body 1 has its narrow end cut off in a plane which converges toward the heel seat end 13 of the block from the back 19 of the block to the breast 17 of the block to provide a lower end face 23 at the desired angle with respect to the heel seat end of the block (see Fig. 3). These cuts are indicated by the dotted lines 23 shown in Fig. 2. The cut 23 slices off part of the ply 3 at the narrow end of the block, and may slice off part of one or more adjacent plies depending upon the thickness of the plies and the desired angle of slope for the heel seat. It results in What remains of the ply 3 at the small end of the block appearing as a wedge 25 (see Fig. 3). The wide heel seat end 13 of the block remains unchanged.

Fig. 3 also shows the rough heel block 7 provided on its wide or heel seat end 13 with a base or heel seat lift 27. This consists of a piece of material harder than leatherboard, such as grain leather, pre-cut to heel shape and glued to the large end of the block. Fig. 3 further shows the block as provided with a reinforcing dowel 29 which extends from its lower end face 23 to the face of the lift 27. This dowel is inserted and glued in place in a hole drilled in block 7 after lift 27 is applied to the block. Instead of using a dowel, nails or any other suitable type of fastener may be driven into the block. It will be understood that in the case of lower grade heels, the lift 27 may be omitted, in which case the base end ply of leatherboard constitutes the heel seat lift.

Finally, the rough heel block 7 such as shown in Fig. 3 is turned to the desired shape for the finished heel such as is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The heel seat lift 27 is finished to cup shape, as indicated at 30, by a cutting operation. Figs. 4 and 5 show the breast 17 of the heel as retaining the fiat form of the rough heel block. Figs. 4 and 5 also show grain leather top lifts 31 and 33 applied to the lower end of the heel. It will be understood that these are nailed on after the heel is turned. The top lift 31 is shown as being of wedge shape, but this is optional.

Fig. 6 illustrates an alternative method in which the heel seat lifts 27 are glued to the top and bottom of the body 1 before it is segmented into the individual heel blocks. In this case, the dowels 29 may be applied before the body 1 is segmented, by drilling holes in the body 1 through the lifts 27 and then inserting the dowels. Otherwise, the procedure is the same as above described. It will be observed that the lifts 27 on the top and bottom of the body 1 are arranged in staggered relation, in View of the inclination of the cutting planes 9 and 11, and that those on the top are arranged opposite to those on the bottom.

Each finished built-up heel as illustrated in Fig. 4 is higher at the back than at the breast by reason of the cutting off of the narrow end of the rough heel block at 23. Each finished heel has a plurality of leatherboard lifts each of which is of uniform thickness throughout and all of which are inclined downward at the same angle from the back of the heel to the breast. As shown in Fig. 4, these lifts constitute the portions of the original upper ply 3 of Fig. 3 and the portions of all or substantially all of the plies 5 remaining after turning. It will be observed that there are no pre-cut wedge lifts in the finished heel. In effect, the place of pre-cut wedge lifts is taken by the wedge-shaped remnant of the ply or plies at the lower end of the heel resulting from the cutting off of the narrow end of the heel block at 23.

It will be readily observed that the method is adapted for the economical production of a wide variety of different size heels with different slopes for the heel seat. This is because only one assembly operation and only one compression operation are required to form a plurality of heels. There is no limitation on the height of heels that may be formed. It will also be observed that, as to any body 1 such as shown in Fig. I, it is a simple matter to obtain any desired slope for the heel seat end of the blocks simply by varying the inclination of the cutting planes 9 with respect to the planes of the plies.

Figs. 7-9 illustrate a further modification of the method for manufacturing heels with grooved breasts, and Fig. 10 illustrates a finished heel of this invention with a grooved breast made in accordance therewith. It will be understood that a grooved breast is one with a fillet at its upper end. Fig. 7 shows a laminated body,

designated generally by the reference character 41, and similar to the body 1 shown in Fig. 1, with the addition of strips 43 of a hard heel seat lift material, preferably wood (including plywood) or other suitable hard material such as hardboard, glued to the top and bottom. The leatherboard plies are again designated 3 and 5, as in Fig. 1, since they correspond thereto. The hard heel seat lift plies or layers 43 are shown as thicker than the leatherboard plies. The body 41 is made up in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 1, the strips being glued together and compressed under relatively high pressure.

As illustrated in Fig. 8, the laminated body 41 is segmented into a plurality of individual generally wedgeshaped heel blocks each designated 47 (and corresponding generally to blocks 7) by cutting across the body 41 on cutting planes indicated at 49 and 51 which correspond generally to the cutting planes 9 and 11 of Fig. 2. The wide heel seat end of each block 47 is designated 53, and the narrow end of each block is designated 55. Each block has a flat forward end face or breast 57 defined by the respective cutting plane 49 at an angle greater than with respect to its wide end face 53, a fiat rectangular back 59 which converges toward face 57 from the heel seat end 53 of the block to its lower end 55, and parallel fiat sides 61 of trapezoidal shape. As cut from the body 1, the ends 53 and 55 of each block are parallel. It will be observed that there is a rectangular layer 43 of wood (or other hard material) at the heel seat end 53.

Each block 47 has its narrow end cut OK in the same manner as previously described in conjunction with Figs. 2 and 3 to provide a lower end face 63 (see Fig. 9) at the desired angle with respect to the heel seat end of the block. Fig. 9 also shows the block as provided with a gainfcgrcing dowel 69 corresponding to the dowel 29 of Finally, the rough heel block 47 as shown in Fig. 9 (including the rectangular wood heel seat lift layer 43) is shaped to the finished form shown in Fig. 10 by tuming, grooving the front to form the grooved heel breast 71, and forming a cup as indicated at 73 in the heel seat lift 43. It will be observed that the grooving cuts away a considerable portion of the material at the front of the block, and it will be understood that the dimensions of the rough block 47 are such as to allow for this cutting away. It Will also be observed that the grooving provides a fillet 75 at the upper end of the heel breast 71 which tapers to a feather edge 77 at the forward end of the heel seat. Despite this taper, the fillet 75, being formed in wood or similar hard material, is strong and firm enough to stand up under wear. A grain leather top lift is indicated at 79.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A built-up heel higher at the back than at the breast having a plurality of leatherboard lifts each of substantially uniform thickness throughout and all of which are {)nclined downward from the back of the heel to the reast.

2. A built-up heel higher at the back than at the breast having a grain leather top lift, a wedge-shaped leatherboard lift adjacent the top lift, and a plurality of leatherboard lifts above the wedge-shaped lift each of which is of substantially uniform thickness throughout and each of which is inclined downward at the same angle from the back of the heel to the breast.

3. A built-up heel having a grooved breast and higher at the back than at the breast, said heel having a lower wedge-shaped leatherboard lift, a plurality of leatherboard lifts above the Wedge-shaped lift each of which is of substantially uniform thickness throughout and each of which is inclined downward at the same angle from the back of the heel to the breast, and a heel seat lift consisting of a layer of a material harder than leatherboard inclined at the same angle as the said inclined leatherboard lifts, said heel seat lift being thicker than said inclined leatherboard lifts, and the grooved breast having a fillet at its upper end which tapers substantially to a feather edge at the forward end of the heel seat lift.

4. A built-up heel higher at the back than at the breast having a wedge-shaped lift at the bottom and a heel seat lift at the top and a plurality of leatherboard lifts between said wedge-shaped lift and said heel seat lift, each of said leatherboard lifts being of substantially uniform thickness throughout and all of said leatherboard lifts being inclined downward at the same angle from the back of the heel to the breast.

5. A built-up heel having a grooved breast and higher at the back than at the breast, said heel having a lower wedge-shaped leatherboard lift, a plurality of leatherboard lifts above the wedge-shaped lift each of which is of substantially uniform thickness throughout and each of which is inclined downward at the same angle from the back of the heel to the breast; and a heel seat lift, the grooved breast having a fillet at its upper end which tapers substantially to a feather edge at the forward end of the heel seat lift.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,121,702 Winkley et a1. Dec. 22, 1914 1,121,704 Winkley Dec. 22, 1914 1,289,054 Perri Dec. 24, 1918 1,861,969 Leighton June 7, 1932 2,147,904 Kukula Feb. 21, 1939 2,239,818 Hazelton Apr. 29, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 211,735 Great Britain Feb. 28, 1924 

